College Sports Blog

Ryan Broyles had role model as OU’s go-to-receiver

NORMAN, Okla. — Ryan Broyles is not unlike other achievers who are driven by an inexplicable inner spring that never seems to need rewinding.

“Just wanting to be the best,” he said. “I compete against other receivers [in practice]. I compete against other guys in the nation.

“Every time I got out there on the field on game day, I want to do something special.”

Something special comes like clockwork for Oklahoma’s relatively pint-sized slotback, who, by the way, can bench-press 310 pounds. In last week’s 43-10 victory over Colorado, Broyles continued his relentless assault on the OU record book.

He caught nine passes (leading FBS receivers with an average of 9.5 receptions per game) for three touchdowns and a school-record 208 yards, his seventh 100-yard-plus performance in eight games this season. An eighth would tie him with former Sooners star Mark Clayton, whose school-record 31 career touchdown catches are only three ahead of Broyles’.

Clayton (2001-04) is the standard by which OU receivers are measured, and Broyles has carried that burden since he began emerging early in his three-year career with the Sooners.

“You know, people have compared me to Mark Clayton from the beginning,” Broyles said after the Colorado game. “I feel like that’s what I had to do, fill his shoes.

“I have a whole year left, and I’m just going to make the best of it.”

Under his breath, Broyles mentioned “if I decide to take it” — but that’s another discussion.

At his current pace, Broyles will overtake Clayton’s single-season yardage mark of 1,425; he has 1,018. Broyles is eight catches from Clayton’s 221 career receptions and 416 behind his career yardage total of 3,241.

“What I love most about Ryan is how competitive he is,” Stoops said. “Which means when he walks onto the field, he’s playing — and playing hard. And he has a knack for making plays. He’s intense and competitive for a guy in that position.

“I always thought that Mark Clayton was pretty special, and Ryan is right there with him. In my eyes, they’re very similar guys.”

To the critical eye of receivers coach Jay Norvell, who helped design the passing attack of the 2002 Super Bowl runner-up Oakland Raiders and coached former Colts receiver Marvin Harrison, Broyles has a distinguishing sixth sense.

“He’s had to learn scheme and he’s had to learn fundamentals,” Norvell explained. “But he’s got a gift of understanding space and understanding feel.

“And as soon as he walks onto the field, he just does it. That’s what makes him special.”

Asked earlier in the season why he consistently gets open, Broyles explained in typical straightforward fashion: “I run fast.”

He does that. But of course, there’s much more to the equation. And Broyles knows it.

“I’ve watched a little bit [of tape on Clayton],” Broyles said. “And when he came [to Norman] this summer, I talked to him.

“Football-wise, he has a great release coming off the ball. That’s the one thing I’ve really noticed. That’s where you have to eat the [defensive back's] cushion. He consistently did it, and that’s what I really looked up to. I’ve worked on that.”

Quarterback Landry Jones has a simple explanation as to why Broyles is his favorite receiver.

“It just seems Ryan gets open a lot,” Jones said.

Obviously, the two have that kind of unspoken communication that quarterbacks and receivers develop over long winter and summer hours, although Broyles’ unspoken word might have a familiar inflection.

“He gives me a look sometimes when I don’t go to him,” Jones said with a laugh.

“I think Ryan thinks I’m going to him on every play,” Jones said. “But he’s a great player, and all great players want the ball.”